I'll be seeing you, Shepherdstown

Goodbye, for now

December 1, 2011

For those of you who have not heard, I will begin as one of the editors at our sister paper in Martinsburg, The Journal, in the coming weeks.

The past 15 months serving the Shepherdstown community has, by far, been the best in my six-year career as a journalist.

I first fell in love with community journalism as a junior in college. Until that time, my aspirations were to end up at a big-time newspaper, as I was applying to internships at The Los Angeles Times, The Christian Science Monitor and many, many more publications.

But when a close friend and I co-founded the program West Virginia Uncovered at our alma mater with my great mentor, Professor John Temple, I knew community journalism was where it was at.

The Uncovered project allowed selected West Virginia University journalism students to zig-zag the Mountain State, partnering with rural newspapers to produce documentary-style multimedia stories in small-town communities. In towns like Thomas, Marlinton and Summersville, W.Va., I got a taste of community journalism, and I wanted more.

It was my experience with the West Virginia Uncovered program that led me to this position - reporting in a gem of a town where the people care just as much about the community as they do each other.

I'm sad to go as the editor of this paper, but I see good things ahead for The Chronicle.

This little paper wouldn't be anything with the people of Shepherdstown. Kelly and I do what we can, but it's you, Shepherdstown, who shape this publication weekly. Continue the good work.

It's been an absolute pleasure. I'll cherish my memories here for a lifetime.